Lockdown
by Randiconwillalwaysrule22
Summary: Life is not perfect. It never has, never was, and probably never will. Yet, when a stranger appears to a certain boy, and says he is one pure of heart, can the poor boy handle it and mend his broken heart? Read and find out. Oh, yes, there will be lots of cussing.
1. Gunshots

**A/N: What am I doing to myself? I have homework that needs to be done, and school stresses me out, and I sit here and add a Randicon fanfic..? Hold on... Never mind. Enjoy it! And Detentionaire cause I like Lee and his bro. More notes at bottom.**

_On a scale of one to ten, how bad do you think your life is? Well, his is a ten, so put your hands down._

Gunshots rang out in a practiced pattern, dogs began barking after picking up a scent. People screamed, dodging out of the way in order to avoid being trampled by men and women in uniform, chasing after a teenaged boy.

They all seemed sickly and pale, maybe from sitting in front of their t.v.'s and watching the most beloved man speak about a new product or how this city was such a wonderful place.

_Yeah, right_.

Almost fifty percent of the city seemed to be housing fights or having saloons on every corner.

There was a forest, and a mountain, but those would take some time to get to, by underground railroad or walking.

The boy in question ran down an alley, but not before a bullet shot through his left arm.

_Where was the fairness that the teenaged boy's idol so said remained here?_

"Shit!" He hissed, grumbling angrily as he dodged behind a trash can, gagging on the rotting stench of food and old, worn products.

The boy could have sworn he saw parts for an electric dog, completely torn apart and shredded.

"Ya know what, I am not gonna dwell on that," said the boy aloud, whispering to avoid detection.

Flashlights shined down the alley, yet they didn't enter, knowing that if the boy did survive, he would die of blood loss sooner or later. Meantime, said boy bit his lip, breaking through the skin as he put pressure on the wound in order to try and stop the bleeding, frowning as it flowed through his fingers.

_Isn't blood pretty? I'd rather drink and study that then the medicine people fed me in the past._

The sky above was a sickly grey-green, as if the air was polluted in one way or another. Maybe it was. You know, sometimes, when people have technology that is good enough, they don't remember that they need to care for the things that matter most

The boy could remember a time when the sky was a beautiful blue color, yet now it was...that. But then again, had the sky really been blue? He had seen it in a dream before, and dreams were not to be trusted.

Not for him.

Not anymore.

_Dreams are things that people wish for dearly. Blue is just an insane color for this sky._

'What did I do?' He thought to himself as he tore off some fabric from his pants, which was not an easy task. 'I went in, took the test, and all of a sudden I'm here, in an alley, shot and probably bleeding to death. Such a great day.'

_I'd want to see the stars as I die. Even if they are balls of gas._

Successfully bandaging his arm with only his teeth and right hand, he stood up on wobbly knees, using the dumpster for support when the coast was clear.

He took in his surroundings; a sewage pipe spewing out said sewage, going down a drain to an unknown place, boxes kicked and trampled in various places, some wire on top of the brick walls that surrounded him, some rotting food, a couple of pages ripped from a book, some hair which freaked the boy out, some green algae growing on the walls, and a chicken.

He grimaced at the clucking horror.

_I wonder why the hell someone would make these monstrosities. Just look at them._

"Am-scray, icken-chay!" hissed the boy.

He was about fourteen, with dull blue eyes and hidden vibrant purple hair, hidden by a black hoodie with intricate red designs that looked liked boxes, to be frank.

He was handsome, you could say. A ladies man. Yet he wasn't like that at all. A small crush on a girl, and that was that. Not like he would be doing anything about it anymore.

To the pleasure of the teen, the chicken 'clucked' it's white feathery mass of hideousness out of there.

Sighing as he slid down the brick wall, he winced as the wall jolted against his arm. Black dots began to appear in his vision, before he couldn't see altogether.

A shht brought his attention to the east, toward the dead end. That was the sound of a shoe scraping along the floor. Or maybe...shht...a stick?

_Why would you carry a stick instead of a gun, dumbass?_

The boy knew that if he didn't get medical treatment soon, he would lose his arm, or worse, die from blood loss or infection. Neither sounded appealing.

The sound came again, from the west this time, and he heard someone sigh, obviously in relief.

"Randy Cunningham, thank god I found you. We need to get you some medical attention, and fast..."

The boy, Randy, was fading fast. He barely heard the words now, and felt himself having his arm slung across someone's shoulder before he felt numb. The words blurred together, and that was when the darkness claimed him.

_Isn't it funny how we all were once afraid of the dark, and yet as we grow, it becomes a comfort for some?_

**A/N: Yes, I did this for Arrival-Layne, yes I will try to post on a regular sqedual, yes, your oc's can be requested, and no, the Randicon will not be immeadiet and will probably be at the end like all the cliche movies show.**


	2. Past

_**A/N: I've decided to re-do a lot of this story due to the fact that a) the story was straying from the original plotline and b) I was an idiot and didn't read the info on the pictures Arrival Layne had put about the AU itself, so now I feel pretty stupid for adding all these characters way early and probably making you guys way confused. Apologies! I'll try to update often, but what with my new job, school, and no computer, terms are it'll be months before any updates.**_

News traveled fast here in the little town of Norrisville, where almost nothing happened but buy buy buy and watch tv, where the most beloved man in all of the quaint town gave speeches about how the Ninja, whom had mysteriously vanished one day, was evil and had left them to suffer. And the people, blind with having consumed this man's objects for half of their lives, or their whole lives, began to truly believe that the Ninja was, or had been, evil, and now left them to suffer within these bad conditions of forever buying items that sometimes weren't even that good.

What the citizens didn't know was that McFist, oh so kind and gentle, was actually the reason they were in such pain, fear, and stuck in the cycle that had become their lives. Six years ago to this day, the Ninja had disappeared, to never be heard from again.

The boy that was the Ninja had been caught by one of Viceroy's traps, where he then had been brought back to the lair that was McFist's office. No one heard the screams the boy gave as he breathed his last breath, his own weapons being used against him, used to make him meet his doom when so many times before they had prevented this. This pain.

And the mask, the mask that once held his identity was wrenched from the dead boy's head, where McFist had stood triumphantly over him, watching as he died.

"I did it, Viceroy!" the man had hopped with glee. "I killed the Ninja!"

The brown-skinned man was too tired to tell his boss in a sarcastic way that it was actually him who had destroyed this boy, in more ways than one. Even if he tried to, he would have been cut off by the Sorcerer, who glared down at the scene before him, a wicked grin on his twisted and almost decaying lips, his milky white eyes showing only cruelty. Viceroy, in his opinion, was glad the Sorcerer could only be contacted via tube that was installed in McFist's office.

"So you've finally done it." the voice said, sounding like rocks or metal being grinded against a stone.

"Yep! I did it! Killed him off, dead as a doornail!" McFist, however, didn't get to finish his rant as the Sorcerer cut _him _off as well.

"But there's something wrong in this equation." his voice now hissed, sounding like a snake getting ready to strike.

"W-what would that be?" The blonde-haired man questioned innocently.

The building shook as the Sorcerer boomed,"I AM NOT FREE, YOU FOOL!"

The duo outside of the tube hid behind the desk that faithfully hid them. They waited for the Sorcerer to calm, hoping that if they gave him time, he would calm down and you know, not kill them.

"There is only one reason that I can think of as to why I am not free and creating delicious havoc." the green-skinned man muttered, tapping his chin. "and that would be that there is _another _out in the world, one pure of heart." he spat out the last three words as if they were poison to him. "Not only that, but there is that blasted teacher of his."

"T-Teacher?" McFist stuttered out.

"That's not important at the moment." The Sorcerer waved his hand, dismissing the topic altogether. "If I know you, you shall cut off any leavings of the town. No people or items are allowed to leave, and do not, under any circumstance, allow your guard to be dropped."

"Yes sir! I'll get started on it right away!" the connection flickered, then died out.

Viceroy turned to his boss. "So shall I give the order to close off the city?"

McFist nodded gravely, looking at the mask held in his hand. "Yes, do it quickly. I want it done by the time I get back."

The scientist nodded and walked off, going to fulfill orders.

"Meanwhile, I'll take care of other things..." McFist mumbled out.

With power came wealth, and if McFist became high in government, he would be trusted by many, and with this trust came more privileges. McFist's plan was one of struggling, but with the years that passed, and no sign of a pure-hearted freshman, he managed to achieve his goal of having strings in every branch of the government.

But what he didn't know was that he wasn't the only one searching for the pure-hearted student.

Nomi Conikos was the 'teacher' the Sorcerer had referred to. He'd lived over 800 years, and was the main reason that the Sorcerer was trapped in the first place. And he was determined to keep him that way.

As of present, Nomi was following the squadron of men and women (and some dogs) that followed Randy. Gunshots rang out in the air, causing people to shriek and hide for the safety of their homes. Randy slipped, crying out in pain, and Nomi realized that this boy, the new Ninja, the new hero, had gotten shot.

The red-head watched with bated breath as his student quickly got back up, rushing to hide in the cover of an alley. Nomi slinked from shadow to shadow, keeping out of the sight of the guards that searched around the area, the sounds of pistols being refilled very plain and nerve racking in the quiet.

If he was caught, he was as good as dead.

"Everyone, move out! He can't have gotten far!" cried the apparent leader of the group, signalling them to keep moving forward.

Nomi scoffed, watching as the squadron passed right by where the boy, Randy if his memory didn't fail him, hid. They were rather stupid, if you thought about it, or maybe they were so used to the cozy accommodations they had that they weren't willing to stay in this dreaded place.

What with filth being on the streets, broken toys and computers and other knickknacks in piles and corners, cobwebs in the arches, sometimes even in doorways, and the sewage that sloshed nearby into a drain.

Yep. Home.

Nomi waited several minutes after the squadron to leave, despite the time ticking by and the worries that knocked inside his mind. What if he got there too late and Randy was dead? What if the squadron got back and captured the both of them? What if- no, he had to focus. Time was an issue, yes, one that couldn't be wasted, so why waste it on 'what ifs'.

Once he was sure they were gone, he crept into the alley, searching the ivy-choked walls. Strangely, a chicken passed by him, probably having seen a bleeding youth if the tinged red on it's feathers were any indication. Shaking his head, he took another step forward, the form of Randy coming into view. He was slumped, his eyes closed and arm bleeding through it's make-shift bandage.

Now he was faster. If he wasted his time now, he'd loose more than just this battle. He'd loose the war.

Three quick, long strides and he was by his student's side. "Randy Cunningham...thank god I've found you." he murmured, picking his student up carefully.

The purple-haired boy groaned, probably feeling as if he was thrown over someone's shoulder. After all, who else gets chased by people with guns, shot in the arm, and then passes out from blood loss a few moments later? Not many people, to tell the truth.

To be honest, Nomi was amazed he'd passed out after loosing that much blood, instead of just passing out as soon as he got shot. Nomi frowned, and started heading to his 'home'.

"Don't worry... We'll win this... I just know it."

After all, he might as well enjoy the calm right before the storm.

Right?

_**A/N: This is kinda sad to me, but much better than the one before... honestly, I'm really tired. *sigh* But! It's basically a base of what happened before the present and then became the present. As to how McFist got his fingers into every branch of the government... he cheated. That's all. Please review.**_


	3. Safe

_**A/N: I don't know about how well I write, and I'm really sorry if it seems abrupt, or straying. I'm just starting to actually publish my work and work on longer stories (I usually get bored with stories I write), so I'm really trying here! Hehehe...*cough* Anyway, I'll shut up now, enjoy the story, and please, for the sake of the randicon drabbles, pm me any random word(s) so that I can work on them more with more ideas...**_

This was harder than it seemed, dragging an unconscious, _wanted _boy, whilst making sure that one didn't get caught by the numerous troops that raided houses and shops, hotels and even bars. Jail was not a choice for this teen, no no no. The people after him were out to either capture him and claim the reward money, or kill him, dragging his body back to McFist. But who could honestly know what this felt like? Don't answer that; we all know the answer.

They were both lucky to have gotten by the three squads that passed by them, and it was thanks to Nomi who used the Art of Disguise. Fading into the background yet again with his student, Nomi let out a sigh, his head falling back to rest on the brick wall behind him. It felt rough, pressing against his scalp uncomfortably as he studied the area around him. So far, so good. Now, to get just a bit further...

A dog barking made Nomi's head snap to the right, and he wanted to groan. A dog. Of course they brought a dog. He had to leave, fast, before the dog caught his and Randy's scent. If it did, then it would be game over for the both of them. He gripped the purple-haired boy's arm, pulling him up and onto his back. The barking was getting closer. With a small curse, the red-head dashed off, silent as an unwanted shadow. Abandoned shops and cafes zipped by his peripheral vision, that including an old junk shop. Quickly, Nomi skidded to a stop and dashed into the junk store; surely it's scent must mask theirs.

Up the steps, and into the furthest room from the street. Keeping his student and himself hidden, he listened to the sound of squads and dogs passing by. They grew louder, and louder, stopping outside of the door. Nomi got up, tense. If they came in, he'd have to jump himself and Randy up onto the roof, and go roof-hopping. If he did that, that would lead to them being in the open, which was an immense problem. That would give the squads a chance to shoot at him and Randy, which could lead to their demise, or their capture. Neither option sounded appealing.

Tense moments passed by, as Nomi kept his back pressed to the wall, feeling sticky juices dripping from said wall seep into his shirt. He wanted to shudder and move away from the wall, but a shadow fell across the small window up high on the wall. It was very thin and very wide, but the glass seemed to be thick and opaque. Nevertheless, he brought randy closer, ducking his head. He watched as the dim lights made shadows, dancing on the floor. He held his breath, like it would help in any way. To his relief, the sound of the dogs and people began fading, going down the street. Away from them. Safe. A deep sigh escaped the old being, his body sagging as he set Randy against the wall. For now, they didn't have to worry about the squads, or the dogs, or McFist. What they did have to worry about was Randy's gunshot wound, which was bleeding through it's badly made bandage.

The elder got up, casting a glance back at him before he started his tread down the hall, peering into all the rooms as he passed by. The first was empty. He scoffed and kept walking, dust wafting up with every step he took. The next room only had a couch in it, torn with holes and rotting with mildew. Suspitious stains covered it, the color being a dull, pukey green. The metal was warped, and even crushed on one side. Nothing here, or underneath the couch aside from a dead rat. Gross.

The third room had a few boxes in it, left in the persons haste to leave, ugly handwriting scrawled along the sides. Nomi walked up to these boxes, and crouched beside them. On one side of one of the boxes, there was the word 'Bathroom' scrawled in sloppy handwriting, and on the other was the word 'Bedroom'. There was also a smaller box, torn up and already deteriorating. He opened it carefully, flinching away from the soggier parts of it. There was nothing in it aside from some books, covers scratched out and the pages blackened with burns.

He kicked it aside, quietly, and walked over to the next box, the one labeled 'bedroom'. He opened it, finding a broken handmirror, some lace on a spool, needles, thread, and a small plush toy. Nomi picked up the small bear quietly; who's little girl was this snatched from? Who could have made the owner of this toy throw away a possible best friend? He sighed, the toy dropping back into the box.

The final box practically loomed, it's shadow creating a chilling effect. This could make or break Nomi. If it didn't have any of the things needed to patch Randy's bullet wound up, he'd be screwed. He finally gathered up the courage to open the box. He almost yelled in pure joy as he saw a red cross on a smaller box, completely white box. He picked it up, suddenly careful and cautious, opening the contents. There was some old gauze, which looked rather new, some tape, sanitizer, and the works. He beamed brightly, quickly taking it and going back to the room in which randy was in. He kicked away a rat the size of the plush toy from earlier, which was rather big. He shuddered, then sat down next to the unconcious boy.

he removed Randy's hoodie, grimacing as the purple haired boy shifted, hissing in pain. He removed the hoodie completley, pushing the sleeve of his shirt up and grabbing the sanitizer. He gripped his arm somewhat tightly, pouring it on his arm.

Randy cried out. "WHAT THE-"

"calm down. I am helping you."

"Helping me?! You're pouring acid on my arm!"

"it's sanitizer. Not acid." the older rolled his eyes, annoyed at the youngers antics.

"who are you?! Where did you come from?! Where am I?!"

Nomi moved his hands away, waiting for Randy to finish his ranting, and trying to scramble away. When Randy, however, tried to run off, he grabbed his arm, shaking his head. Randy whirled around, terrified, going to hit him.

"No, do not leave. You will be killed."

"Better than staying here with a stranger!" he cried.

He rolled his eyes. "A stranger trying to help you."

"how do i know that for sure?!"

nomi sighed deeply. "any other stranger would have killed you or turned you in around this time. Yet I havent."

Upon this logic, Randy began to calm down, wearily looking at Nomi as the red-head grasped his arm and put gauze on it. He rolled a bandage around his arm, telling Randy of what happened while he had been out. Randy listened quietly, watching Nomi's hands weave around and around. Nomi suddenly stopped speaking. Randy looked to him, curious.

"why did you stop talking?" he didn't want to tell him he liked the dull tone of his voice, which was soothing.

"...you do not realize, Randy, how important you are. How great you are in this place, this time. You don't know how many people believe in you; how many people think you to be their hero-"

He stood so suddenly that nomi actually fell back onto his ass. Why did Randy look so angry? Why was his fists clenched?

"**_Don't _**call me a hero! There's no such thing as a heros, let alone me being a _hero."_

Nomi opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. "why do you believe this?"

"I have my reasons..."

Nomi noted that this must be a sensitive topic. "i'm sorry."

"for what, exactly?"

Nomi couldn't think of anything. "Er..."

"exactly. Now leave me be.'

The two decided to stay the night there, just in case they would be in any extreme trouble should they leave the old shop. Nomi insisted they sleep in the same room, so he could protect Randy in case of an emergency. .Begrudgingly, the teen agreed, and they got ready for bed.

_**A/N: hi hi! I'm sorry to say, but i don't have a clue as to what to write for the next chapter! Please send suggestions! Thank you lots! -Dragon**_


	4. Rescue

**_A/N: I decided to get my head back in the game, and I'm trying to revive these stories. Please be patient with me, and I'm sorry if you do not enjoy this story any longer, or if you have left the fandom. Sad, but true. Enjoy._**

A teenage boy, no more than 15 or 16, peered through an opaque glass, eyes narrowed, distrusting. Silence pressed on the ears of the boy as he held a blackened metal pipe, it's ugly, scarred surface leaving marks and smudges on his hands. But the blue-eyed boy hardly noticed or cared. What mattered right now was that he was in an unfamiliar enviornment, with a stranger who could possibly hand him over at any moment, at any time. As this thought flitted over his mind, his eyes, once still and trying to see out the window, flickered to the boy, who had pulled out a strange device. It appeared to be a sort of cell phone, but not any kind that Randy was used to.

It was of blockish design, like the old phones, only it would crumple into a flat surface, as he had seen not even ten minutes ago. Grey surface, black trim, and a small, red symbol on the upper right corner. He raised a brow a bit, but when the other boy, a redhead with onyx eyes, glanced at him, he immedietly returned to try and look out the window. A small sigh came from behind him.

"You will not see anything. The glass is too dirty to see through."

"And why haven't we cleaned the damn thing?"

A brow was raised. "So our position is not discovered until help arrives."

"Help!?" Randy gave out a breathless laugh. "No one wants to help me! Not even a day ago, I was just about to go into high school, and now I'm stuck in this _shithole _with a fucking _stranger, _who could kill me at _any_ moment!"

"But I have not killed you yet." his tone was sharp; he hated Randy thinking he was going to hurt him, when it was not in his intentions to do so. To complete the mission, the chance to save Norrisville, he needed him alive. "There is no reason for me to kill you."

"What about that bounty they put on my head?!"

"How did you-"

Randy didn't let the elder speak, holding a ripped piece of paper. "You really think you're smart, but in truth, you're stupid as shit. I heard you talking to the 'help' about the bounty already placed on me, and how everyone will be looking to get me. And I found _this-" _here, he shook the paper almost violently. "Laying on the floor, probably flown in when we came in too, whenever that was!"

Nomi couldn't speak. His eyes looked to the paper almost guiltily, biting his tongue. He glanced at the phone he held in his hand, giving him an exact countdown as to when his comrads would arrive. Then, only then, would they even have a small chance as to getting out of this 'shithole' safely. And with Randy in one piece.

"Hey!" The redhead snapped out of his trance, looking at the sapphire-eyed boy, who's cool that was once there was now replaced with fire. "Are you planning to keep me here, trapped against my will?"

"It is not I who is keeping you here. Your own thoughts of self-preservation are keeping you here, because you are scared. You are probably thinking about what may happen if the soldiers or McFist will get you. You are probably worried about if you are going to be killed if you even round a corner, even if no one but ourselves is here. It is not I keeping you here, but yourself."

Blue eyes were wide, and a bandaged hand gripped the fabric of its' sleeve. Then, the eyes narrowed, and once more turned cold. Ugly. The bandaged hand became focused once more, and the teen turned around. "How long until your help arrives?"

"Three hours. Then I can get you proper treatment for your arm."

Silence greeted him, and Nomi wanted to scream. Yet he merely tightened his lips together, turning away to scavenge through the boxes he had found on the second floor. Of course, he had been cautious. Any traps, or any signs of people being here. But, much like the rest of the house, it looked as if it had been abandoned around the same time as everything else. No footprints in the dust, no boxes seemingly moved out of their place in a.. long time.

He shuffled through the first few boxes upstairs, curious and wanting answers as to whom's house this used to be. He didn't have to search long, as the second box held family photos. The frames and glass were intact, although dirty and overed in dust. Spiders fled the scene, Nomi's eyes watching the arachnids with slight interest. His attention waning, he turned back to the photos, wiping off the dust and dirt to peer into the past, to see what this house had once been.

What greeted him were a pair of brown eyes and a mop of receding brown hair. He wore overalls, much like janitors wore, and sported yellow gloves on his hands. He was smiling at the camera, not even thinking for a moment that his life would slowly turn to hell. Nomi felt sorrow, and continued searching. Now, there was a woman. She wasn't a wife, as no ring showed, and she smiled. She was pregnant. A pink apron was being sported, and Nomi could almost imagine the arguments they would get into over who was to wash the dishes and cook dinner. He swallowed a lump in his throat. Another photo, another story. She just had her children, a set of twins. The smallest, faintest amount of black hair could be seen.

Nomi smiled, reaching for the next photo. Two little girls, beaming at the camera with missing teeth, each one having a plush toy. One a bunny with a blue bow around it's neck, the other a plush fox, wearing a lace collar. What happened to them? Nomi pondered. Where had they gone?

He had been jolted back to the present by Randy beginning to complain.

"We don't have any food, and I'm starving!"

Replacing the photos, he had taken down the other boxes to the apparent living room. Now, he remembered the predicament. He must keep Randy safe and protected until his crew arrived.

"How long until your buddies get here, now?"

"Two hours and fourty five minutes."

The amythest-hair colored boy groaned, flopping back onto the couch and closing his eyes, only to hiss in pain when the friction from his actions caused the wound to reopen.

"I would get off that couch if I were you. I saw cockroaches earlier crawling around on it."

The younger's eyes went wide, and he rolled off the couch, gagging a bit. "Ugh, and you didn't tell me earlier?!"

"Well, you did not wish to speak to me, it seemed."

Randy's mouth opened to snap back a comment, like for instance, shoving a pole up his ass if something equal wasn't already there, but he couldn't really think of anything to say. He closed it again, turning his gaze away. "Whatever..."

He straightened himself, stretching a bit, grimacing when his arm gave a small tug, reminding him of how limited that arms' actions really were. He heaved a sigh, looking around. "So what are we going to do for two hours and fourty five-"

"Fourty-two"

"Two hours and fourty _two_," he snapped angerly "minutes. There's nothing to do here."

Nomi rubbed the side of his face, thinking. "I do not know. "

Randy scoffed. "Good job at protecting 't even keep me entertained."

"There is a difference between protection and entertainment!" Nomi whipped around. "Protection is making sure you do not _die_. Entertainment is _completely optional, _not to mention _useless!_" His voice rose, but he quickly stopped.

Randy went to retort, but Nomi shushed him, looking to the window. There was silence for a moment, but then, plain as day, were footsteps. Heavy, slow footsteps, and deep voices speaking in low tones. Nomi wanted to run with Randy, but in his condition, there was nothing that could be done. Randy would only slow him down, even though he had ran so far, wounded, before collapsing. Yet that was all adreniline, and Randy had none of that at the moment.

"Are you sure you heard something? For all we know, it could be a rat. Place's been abandoned for years, since the takeover."

"Hey, zip it! Do you _want _us to die? We aren't callin' it a takove'. We're callin' it a mere 'control for tha people's protection'. "

"Whatever, control, takover, just... are you _sure _you heard something?"

"I'm sure. I coulda' sworn I hear' some kid. "

"Could it be that Cunningham kid? The one up for a million gems?"

"The very same."

"Jean, I ain't goin' in there."

"Oh, come on! We could get millions!"

"No. You heard a rat. Now let's _go_"

"Alright, alright, don' get you' panties in a twist."

Footsteps quickly stalked off, Randy and Nomi almost breathing a sigh of relief. Yet Nomi held his breath still out of practice, while Randy held his breath out of fear. After a good ten minutes of no moving, no heavy breathing, and no talking, they concluded they left.

Randy shakily got up, but quickly retired to his old angry-angsty-teen look and actions. "Those were guards.."

"Yes."

"They were after me."

"Yes."

A long pause let them listen once more to the sounds of the house. The squeaks of the mice, the scuttling of small, animal feet, the groans of the building as wind pressed it forward, back, and side to side. A silent agreement came between the two boys, who sat down, leaning against the wall a few feet from each other.

"How long until help comes?"

"Two hours and fifteen minutes."

"Okay."

"Alright."

Once more, silence overcame them, and soon, Randy had dozed off, leaving Nomi to wait for his friends.

-Two hours and fourteen minutes later-

Silent, quick footsteps. A small whisper. Two, no, four people all headed into the house through the back window, which they had pried the boards off of and slid through. Once inside, the taller of them coughed and looked around, caramel eyes looking around.

"Geeze, he had to pick the dirtiest place on the block, huh?"

"Shut up, Lee. In times of need-"

"Saftey is chosen over comfort, yeah yeah. I've heard you say it a million times by now, Max."

Nomi, leaning on the door of the kitchen, coughed, making all four of them aware of his presence. He stared at each in turn, sighed, and rubbed his eyes before looking back up.

"He is in the living room. And please, try to keep it down. We have already nearly been caught."

The small group headed into the living room, spotting the small teen that was curled in the corner the furthest from the door. A look crossed one of the groups' face, meanwhile the others merely stared in awe. Nomi strode forward and awakened Randy, who yawned and sat up.

"Huh...whas goin' on?" he stopped, eyes narrowing at the four others who were in the room. "who are they?!"

Nomi kneeled by him. "My crew. You have been out for the rest of the time they needed to get here." Nomi and Randy stood, and at a nod from Nomi, the group introduced themselves.

A girl with blonde hair and light skin strode forward. Her blue eyes roved over Randy. "Max. That's all you need to know. I'll be your ride outta this dump."

"A bit harsh and blunt." the red-head glared at Max. Max's lips curled up, before she stepped back.

A different girl took her place, shorter, black hair, and dark brown skin. Her big eyes seemed to pop. "Hi! I'm Nudge! I'm going to be the lookout because Max said I couldn't carry you, you know, just in case I would drop you and-"

"Nudge, if you keep talking, I am going to scream." Max groaned.

She seemed sheepish. "sorry." she stepped back.

A tall, dark, and seemingly broody male stepped forward. "Name's Fang. Like Max said, that's all you need to know."

Randy eyed him. "That's all I really want to know."

"Good." Fang went back to stand by the girls, as the final boy, one with red and black hair and hazel eyes, stepped forward.

"My name is Lee Ping. " He held out his hand, which Randy didn't take. Lee shrugged and put his hand back to his side. "Anyway, we're here to get you two back to base, okay? Nudge will be lookout while carrying me, Fang will carry Nomi here, and Max will carry you. "

"I uh... alright. But how are we going to get there? Do you guys have a car?"

Max seemed stunned, then began laughing, hiding it behind her hand. Fang looked to her, raising a brow, and he looked back to Max. "So, Nomi didn't tell you, I take it?"

"Tell me what?" Now Randy was tense. He looked at them all, nervous.

"We don't need a car, cause we have _these_." Max turned around, and to Randys shock and horror, revealed wings. Actual wings too! "Yeah, we have wings. We can fly high enough to where no one will see us clearly, but low enough to avoid susption. "

"We need to get a move on. We've wasted enough time as is." Lee looked around, gaze stopping at Nomi.

"Let us get a move on."

The group of now six stood in the small, cramped, and damp alleyway, Max and Fang glancing around. Nomi adjusted his pack, and nodded. They were ready to go, and they needn't waste anymore time. Nudge beamed, chattering his earbox away, whilst Max picked Randy up (much to his dislike). Fang picked up Lee, adjusting him onto his back and getting situated. Finally, they were ready to go.

At almost the same time, the trio with wings bent their knees and pushed off, wings unfurling and catching the wind. Randy clung onto Max's neck for dear life, watching as the ground spun away from him in a horrifying speed.

"Kid, ya gotta let go of my neck. You're going to kill me because I can't get air."

"S-sorry.."

"Just don't do it."

Silence fell, and Randy knew that he had a looong trip ahead of him.

_**A/N: Yaaay, I got a chapppterrr doooonnnneee! Anyway, we'll see when I get the next chapter out. Probably not for a while unless something good happens. Anyway, thanks for reading! And please leave a review!**_


	5. Scent

**_A/N: It's been a while since i've updated this story, probably because I was unsure how to go about it. So, here we go. Before you ask, yes, I've read the Maximum Ride series again_**

Randy wasn't sure how he managed to fall asleep with his legs dangling over 2,000 feet above the ground, but he did. Max and the others exchanged glances, and Max was the first to speak after a couple of tense minutes.

"So, Nomi?"

"Yes?" Nomi turned his head to Max, yawning a bit.

"Are you sure this is the right kid we're looking for? I mean, there have been false alarms before.."

The read head nodded at the the blonde. "I understand your concerns. But I am positive this is the one. And maybe you should not carry him like that."

Max rolled her eyes, but adjusted her grip on the amythest haired boy.

"He is different. I do not know how to explain it, but he feels different. As if his aura is not like any other. "

A small snort came from Fang, who had remained silent the entire trip. "So you're putting our lives in danger because he _feels_ different?"

"He feels different! And I can see it in his eyes! He is hiding something." Nomi snapped at Fang.

Randy shifted in his sleep, causing the others to fall silent. Nudge stopped abruptly, turning to the others and smiling. She smiled and giggled.

"I forgot how fast we get here!"

"Fast? It took us three hours" Max put this bluntly, making Nudge pout.

"That's still fast! It usually takes six hours!"

"She has a point" Nomi pointed out, as they decended into a spiral.

The forest surrounding them seemed like nothing to an untrained eye. Just dozens, if not hundreds, of pine trees, snow and green smoke, with a polluted river snaking nearby. But to the trained eye, there were trails. Trails that ended in a spiral, a circle almost, which had a tall tree in the center. A putrid scent came from the tree, and it drove anyone away who dared even near it.

The gang landed softly, Max gently adjusted the sleeping teen in her arms, setting him down as her wings folded into her back. Fang and Nudge set down their own passengers, stretching their wings before tucking them to their backs. Lee looked to them, a forlorn look on his face.

"Are you guys sure you have to leave?"

Fang nodded. "we've been here too long."

Max chidded in. "They may catch up to us soon, and we don't want to drag you guys into our fucked up lives. "

Lee sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright...I ... We'll miss you guys, you know?"

Max chuckled, smiling and ruffling his hair. "We'll miss you too, kiddo."

He smiled sadly, and the three headed off into the woods, making a whistling sound. Lee and Nomi listened to the whistles getting further, finally being unable to hear it. Nomi picked up Randy after a short, pregnant pause, nudging Lee to go open the 'door'.

The red-and-black-haired teen pressed his palm to the trunk of the tall, smelly tree, reaching up slowly in a pattern and pulling a lever. A muffled clicking noise could be heard, and the trees trunk sank inward, then fell down. A small door revealed itself, Lee opening it. Nomi ducked down, tucking Randy in his arms a bit more so he wouldn't bang his head on the small opening. He slowly went down steep steps, breathing a sigh of relief as he reached the landing, planting his feet firmly into the ground to steady himself.

Lee was close behind, glancing around. They were met with a dark room.

"everyone else must have gone to sleep." Lee whispered

Nomi nodded. "That is very likely. It is very late, after all."

Lee and Nomi looked to one another. "Alright, let's go" Lee headed forward, heading through empty rooms. Eventually, after a terse ten or so minutes, they reached the infirmary, where they finally met the one person who would be awake at this time.

"Hello Nurse Theresa!" Nomi let out a cheery greeting

Theresa was about to return the greeting when her eyes landed on Randy. "Is that-"

"Randy Cunningham, ma'am." Lee nodded. "He was shot in the arm, and he requires medical attention. We fear it may become infected soon. "

Theresa motioned for him to set the unconcious teen down onto the bed. "Care to tell me how this exactly happened?"

The two sat down on nearby beds, filling her in on details, switching every now and then. Nomi let out a sigh as he laid back onto the bed, closing his eyes.

"Now, we get to alert everyone of our new guest, and now we get to plan out how we are to train him." the red-head resisted the urge to scream. Judging from Randy's earlier forms of aggression, this would not be an easy task.

"Well, you can do it in the morning." Theresa snipped, dressing Randy's wound. "Everyone is sleeping for the first time in god knows how long. "

"Wasn't planning on waking them. We'd be so chewed up, there wouldn't even be bones left of us by the time everyone had their turn."

"Speaking of everyone else," the lilac-haired girl stood straight. "Are you going to introduce him to everyone immedietly?"

Nomi shook his head immedietly. "oh, no. That would just overload his mind, and that is the last thing we need right now. Right now, what we need is for him to have a clear head so he can understand the severity of the role he will be playing."

Theresa immedietly glared. "So you mean he has to understand that he has to give his life, however short it is, in order to stop the mess? How he can no longer act like a teen?"

Nomi glared. "He did not act like the spoiled teens we have known before. He was somber, angry. Something , other than the test, had made him that way. He's different."

Theresa wrapped the wound in gauze, staring at Randy. "I just don't like this."

"As if living like this is any better?"

Lee stood. "Well, while you two argue like a married couple, I'm going to bed."

"you go do that" Theresa nodded, finishing her job. She went and washed her hands.

Nomi and Theresa brushed off the couple part as they sat in silence, yawning every now and then . They were both too tired, and too used to his comments, to even be angry about it anymore.

"So, should I take first shift?" Nomi looked up.

Theresa shook her head. "No, i've recently had a nap. I should be good to go. You go sleep, you insomniac. "

he smiled. "Alight, no problem."

Theresa watched as Nomi left, sighing and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. She put one in her mouth and lit it, sighing and leaning against a wall, staring at Randy. She took a deep drag, the light flickering for a brief moment. She looked down, the white tiles peeling up now and then, ,revealing the ugly, scarred surface of dirt below it. Her gaze drifted back to Randy, and her heart slowly sank. Asleep, the kid looked no older than 15... he was as old as she was. She wanted to curse and scream, shouting it wasn't fair that this was their life, that they were forced to give up what mattered most to try and fix something as bad as a sinkhole with only a roll of ducktape. Yet she stayed silent, smoking untill she was left with a nub.

She spoke quietly to the room, as if it were a tangable person standing in front of her. "Why is it we send kids to fight a parent's war?"

Meeting no reply, she shook her head, tossing out the butt and sitting in a swivel chair, standing and pacing every now an then. She was restless, angry. Judging from what Nomi had told her, it wouldn't be surprising if the woods would be teeming with soldiers before weeks' end, searching for Randy. Questions filled her mind, ones she simply couldn't answer.

_Will they find us?_

_Will my parents find us?_

_What will happen to us?_

_Will we die?_

_..._

_I don't want to die._

**_A/N: Yes, I tried playing with your heartstrings. No, I did not succeed. I succeeded as much as i managed to write a decent story. Which is not. Anyway, take this. I know it's shorter, and there are unanswered questions, but in the next chapter (when it comes out) will have them. Just telll me in the reveiews what you thought. Kay bai.-Dragon_**


	6. Ink

**_A/N: I'm starting to try and think more for Lockdown. As for the Drabbles, I'm not really sure as to what I should do. If you guys could pm me ideas, I'll type something up and give you all the credit for the idea, even if it's just an idea as to what I should do for the Guardian Angel AU or even the Soulmate AU. Maybe I should create a pole for everyone asking if I should make those two their own seperate stories. Hm._**

**_Let me know! And please PM me, don't say in the reviews, although reviews are welcome._**

**_Anyway, to the story._**

The darkness in the base are reminded Lee of ink the first time that he had entered into the hollowed-out tree. It stuck to everything, and refused to leave, no matter how many lamps or lights were strung up in order to reveal what lay hidden beneath. No, if anything, it moved the inky black to a new place. One of those places happened to be his bedroom, which he entered into now. Darkness clung to the corners of the doorframe, edging around it and acting like a portal that is forever forbidden.

The red door bore a blue marking, one not dissimilar from a marking on his arm. He pushed the door open quietly, revealing laptops, a bed, a bookcase, and the regular works of a teenagers bedroom. The difference of it, however, was that weapons were strewn across the room like dirty clothes. Swords and guns, shirkens and boomerangs with sides sharpened, perfect for throwing it at an enemy. Black clothing was very prominent, but there was a mix of McFist clothing as well, more than likely bought for blending in purposes.

The door shut behind Lee, and the light flicked on. The mess was now suddenly much, much more prominent. A family photo lay on a desk, pencils were knocked over and left, pencil markings on paper and on the wall. The onyx-eyed boy didn't turn to look at this mess, instead heading for his computer, one which he had learned to build himself. He very distincltly remembery scouraging for parts, but brushed the memory away. Now was not the time for memories to be replaying in his mind.

As he sat in the swivel chair, he let out a sigh, and spoke one simple word. "Brother."

The screen of his computer lit up with a familiar face, one he spoke to every night once lights out passed. The face had a sharp jaw, the face being shaped by black hair, which contained a blue streak in the bangs. The matching onyx-eyes that stared down at him were sparkling, but clearly tired.

"Hello, Little Brother." the Serpent spoke calmly, head resting against his hand. His pet snake nudged his hand, and he gently pet them, smiling a bit.

"Is this a bad time?" the younger laid back. "You seem really tired."

"No, now is fine. I have simply been working, as usual."

"You're working a lot more than I would like." Lee's tone was bitter, but he already knew what the other would say before he even opened his mouth.

"Remember, this is for you. I _am _the one who is finacially supporting you and your friends. Casino work may not be fun in your eyes, but it is for me."

"As if you had any competition to make it a challenge." a small smile played on the red-and-black haired boy.

Serpent glared down at him, but the twitching of his lips gave him away. "Watch your mouth, brother, or else I will have to cut your allowance."

"I don't have an allowance."

The two brothers stared each other down before they could not contain their laughter. Soon, the laughter died down, and Lee grew somber. The elder took this as an understanding to move on, as now his brother had returned to the seriousness that seemed to completely make him up nowadays.

"So, how is Daiku?" the snake moved up the Serpents arm, coyly wrapping around his neck. Yet it did not squeeze, instead earning a scrach on the side of it's head.

"He's fine. Stressed, and trying to solve everything, but fine. " Lee gave a half-hearted shrug, giving a sigh. "Nomi is worried about him, obviously. But he won't listen to anyone."

"And you've tried everything in your power to get him to sit down and take a breather?" an eyebrow was raised, and the two pairs of eyes clashed agian.

"Yes and no. Yes, because Nomi has been trying, and No, because we don't want to pull.. _that_ card."

"You do know that this may be the only way he will sit down and relax, right?"

"Yes, but.. she's..."

"Bitchy? Scary? Overbearing?" a smile had returned to the boy's faces, and Lee glared.

"Har har har. Yes. All of those things. We don't want to call her unless we absolutly have to." he rubbed the back of his neck, and looking away. "Are you working tomorrow?" there was sorrow in his tone.

The Serpent was silent for a while, Lee only being able to hear things tapping and beeping. After three or four minutes, Serpent spoke. "I was, but I have just requested two sick days for us to spend together."'

Lee glanced up, startled, meeting the smug and entertained face of his brother. "You took a sick day for me?"

"Two sick days, little brother. And yes. We have been too long without even seeing each other in person. " The Serpent shook his head before looking to Lee. "You should sleep. It's getting late, and I'm sure you have a busy day. I'll be there at around 1 pm. "

The red-haired teen gave a smile, and stood up, stretching. "Thanks, bro."

"Goodnight, Little Brother."

"Night."

As the light switched off from the screen, Lee could only imagine ink filling the room and suffocating the only light in this dark world being strangled, suffocated. Silence overcame the small room, and Lee gave into it.

The next morning proved to be bright outside. And cold. Frankly, Nomi could hardly remember a time when the place had been warm. For years, this place had seemed like an artic tundra, with the exception of the trees. The cool air brought back memories, and he couldn't help but remember the green-eyed boy before he had vanished. He shook his head, turning on his heel and heading inside. The wavering path of the halls were teeming with life despite it only being 6 am.

He remained calm as he walked to the infirmary, hearing an angry voice, and the cool, steely tone of Theresa. Opening the door, he saw her dig a needle into the arm of Randy, who began cussing rather fouly as Theresa drew blood.  
"Listen, punk! I need to test your blood and see if there are any trackers!"

"What the hell?! I wake up and the first thing you do is say "Give me your blood!"! Back the hell off!" he struggled, and was smacked upside the head.

"This is for your own good!"

"Like I havent heard that before!" Randy snapped.

Theresa let out a groan, spotting Nomi. "You! Take care of him while I get the blood tested!" She stormed off, holding the syringe in hand, but the needle was now covered.

Nomi's eyes wandered to Randy, who's glare already told him of the kind of day his first day had been. He gave a sigh, walking over. The purple-haired boy looked up, and shook his head.

"Oh no, not you! Go away!"

"Randy, will you do me a favor and kindly shut up?" he sighed, rubbing his eyes. There was the migrane that he was looking for. "I do not need your angry words right now."

"And why not?" snapped the sapphire-eyed boy.

"Because, I have been busy. I am incredibly tired. "

The other wanted to snap _good, _but something forced him not to. Nomi truely seemed tired, as if he had not slept in days. A strained silence passed for a few moments, and Nomi gave a cough, putting his hand on a table. Somehow, he knocked down the medical supplies that had once rested on the stainless steel.

"Congradulaions, brainiac." Randy smirked, which scarred his face before his face smoothed over again, back into that frown that was always so prominent and...wrong. "Is she really going to test my blood for tracker things?"

"Yes." Nomi picked up the supplies, walking over to the sink and putting them in seralizers. "Once you have been born here, you are given trackers, injected with them. "

"But why?" Randy was tense, in an unfamiliar enviornment, _again_, with a person he knew nothing of. But curiosity was killing him, and he waited for the red-heads answer.

"Because, McFist likes to keep tabs on his citizens. Also, he has been known to use the citizens that become famous, and take their money, or control their actions from far away places. "

Nomi looked up, seeing Randy try and stand. He only just barely got to Randy before the teen tilted forward, caught in Nomi's arms. But he was slopping, and Nomi struggled to keep hold of Randy, somehow getting him back up on the table.

"What were you trying to do?!"

"Walk, duh." blue eyes rolled, and ended up staring at a wall.

"You cannot just walk! Theresa gave you a sedative, no doubt. Your body is not going to be able to walk for another half hour!"

"Whatever." Silence lapped over the two before Theresa came back, a look on her face.

"Nomi. You and I need to talk, now."

Not being given a choice, the girl nabbed his wrist and yanked him to her office, leaving a nasty bruise when she let him go. "May I get an explination as to why you attempted to strangle my wrist?"

Theresa's eyes stared intently into his as she spoke.

"Randy doesn't have any trackers in his blood."

Nomi could have sworn he heard his heartbeat as he stared at Theresa. Then it hit him. "That means..."

"His mother didn't take him in to get them. "

"But why?!" The nurse stood straight up, sighing.

"If I knew that, wouldn't I be explaining it to you?" she gave him another glare, and he looked away.

"Yeah, you make a point." he ran his hands through his hair, beginning to pace. "Do we at least know who his mother is? Or...was?"

Theresa shook her head. "I only met his mother once, when we were kids. After that, it seemed she just vanished. Without a trace. And as for his dad, no one knew him. "

"So only he knows the answers?" He was desperate to put together the pieces, despite knowing that he wouldn't be able to fit them.

"Not exactly. " she put her hands on her hips. "For all we know, Randy could not know anything. He may have fuzzy memories of his childhood, but not understand them."

"Like me."

"Slightly. You, however, have Daiku to give you pieces, because he was there during your whole life. " she rubbed her chin. "He doesn't have any siblings at all."

Silence passed, but very briefly as Nomi stood.

"This means we have to go ask Randy. At least try to."

"In the state he's in? I'm surprised he hasn't bitten anyone." she shook her head a bit in disbelief, but eventually sighed. "Alright, let's go."

The two stood and headed out to the infirmary.

_**A/N: I tried my best. The words seemed to flow better this time, amazingly. Anywho, remember to review, and pm me and tell me if you do want the poll please. Thanks. -Dragon.**_


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